


Icheb x Person/Reader ???

by Klazora



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-01
Updated: 2018-06-30
Packaged: 2019-05-31 13:49:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15120728
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Klazora/pseuds/Klazora
Summary: Kai is a non-starfleet 17 year old half-human-half-trill on Voyager (her existence is explained) and when the borg children show up on board... you know how it goes.Listen man,,, I was willing to change every name to 'you' until I realized I would have to change it all to present tense,,, I just chose a name for the charachter.This is a relatively self-indulgent fic I decided to write after watching the entire Voyager series for the third time.





	Icheb x Person/Reader ???

**Author's Note:**

> I guess this is a pretty long chapter for me, around 3,000 words possibly maybe. They might not all be this long.

Days passed after the disabled borg vessel was detected on sensors until Kai learned what exactly had transpired between the captain, Seven of Nine, and the five borg children, the sole inhabitants of the vessel. None of the officers would divulge to her what had happened, even the younger ensigns she had grown close to over the years, in fear that the senior officers did not want the information spread about the ship. Stubborn and curious, however, she asked Neelix while she assisted him in preparing the evening meal. 

“Did the children die?” She asked bluntly while watching Neelix mincing a vegetable she didn’t recognize. 

Neelix paused for a moment and turned to her briefly with a shocked expression before returning to his cooking. “N-no, they didn’t die,” he responded slowly. 

“But the systems aboard the borg cube overloaded and the entire vessel was destroyed,” you continued quickly, “They didn’t die?”

“No.”

“So they weren’t on board?”

“No, not exactly...”

“Did we give them a shuttle? Don’t we only have two? Are we bringing them to their home pl- no that would take too long. Were the children all the same species? Are they even old enough to pilot a spacecraft? How old ar-”

“Kai!” Neelix cut her off quickly, exasperated. 

You gave him an expectant look, and Neelix sighed deeply before setting down the knife he was holding and turning to look at her. He looked out into the mess hall, only two or three stranglers occupying the tables. “If I tell you,” he began quietly, “You can’t tell anyone, not even your mother, okay?”

Kai looked reluctant, but nodded. Kai and her mother were quite close, being the only family one another had on Voyager. 

Kai’s mother was a lieutenant in engineering, a mere fifteen years older than Kai herself, even though she had been twenty five when Kai was born. It should be apparent then that the circumstances of Kai’s age were less than ordinary. 

Kai was born months after Voyager was banished to the Delta quadrant, around the time that Naomi Wildman was born as well (both of their mothers had gotten along very well, an obvious consequence considering the circumstances). However, Kai’s father was entirely Trill, and while she did not inherit a third kidney, she was born with two rows of light brown spots that ran down her body from head to two. Her chronically cold hands she also blamed on her Trill heritage. As her father was not a member of starfleet, however, he was not on Voyager when they were trapped in the Delta quadrant, and therefore Kai never knew him. Her mother rarely talked of him now, so Kai rarely thought of him. 

Months after Kai’s birth, however, when Voyager encountered a series of astral eddies and was forced to be in close proximity with the phenomena for several days, the radiation affected Kai, the only half-Trill half-Human on board, in ways that even the Doctor could not explain. At only eight months old, Kai’s aging process increased by by 39000%, give or take, and after nine days, she was over ten years old. That was seven years ago. Needless to say, it had been an interesting seven years, for everyone. 

“I can’t tell Naomi either?” Kai asked Neelix, and he shook his head. 

“You know her,” he smiled, and Kai shrugged, but nodded. 

“Tell me,” she started, “Tell me tell me tell m-”

“Shh!” Neelix shushed her, waving a hand in the air and glancing around once more before focusing back on Kai, “One of the borg children was on the ship when it was destroyed, but the other four were convinced to come with Seven to Voyager.”

Kai continued to listen intently. 

“They’ll be staying here for the time being.”

Kai’s mouth fell open. “Kids!” She nearly yelled before she realized that they were not the only ones in the near vicinity and immediately lowered her voice. 

Neelix smiled. “I knew you and Naomi would be pleased,” he explained, “I haven't met the children, yet, but I understand that they are quite young, years younger than you.”

Kai frowned. “Years younger than seventeen, or seven?” She asked; it was common knowledge that Kai’s body was seventeen, but in many ways her mind was still seven, and those closest to her often joked that she was still but a baby, even though said baby had by now a plethora of medical experience and knowledge that came from being the Doctor’s personal assistant (when she wasn’t helping Neelix in the mess hall), although she wasn’t a member of starfleet. The Doctor often talked about his old assistant, Kes, and how Kai reminded him of her. Although Kai barely remembered Kes, she remembered that her species was Ocampa, and that they aged incredibly quickly. Both her and the Doctor often spoke of that bit of irony when the girl came up in conversation. 

“Years younger than seventeen,” Neelix explained with a sly smile, “I’m sure Naomi will get along with them quite well.”

“Will you be taking care of them?” Kai asked, and was surprised when Neelix shook his head. 

“Since the four of them were liberated from the collective, as Seven was, the captain thinks it best that she be the one who helps them get acclimated to Voyager.”

Kai furrowed her brow in confusion. Her interaction with Seven had been limited but telling, and she wondered at how the woman could hope to teach four children the nuances of a normal life as individuals. 

“I didn’t take her as the… maternal type,” Kai decided on saying. 

Neelix shrugged, and returned to the various roots he had been dicing before their conversation began. “I wouldn’t be surprised if she came to you for help,” Neelix said, and it seemed that was all he would say.

Kai was left to her own devices and her usual routine; help Neelix with the evening meals, assist the doctor in sickbay, play with Naomi or go to the holosuites and delivering pads and messages from deck to deck, sometimes even for the captain. 

No one seemed to know much about the borg children, at least not the junior officers that Kai attempted to interrogate. Kai was eager to meet them, even if she only ended up babysitting them, which, from what Neelix had said about the group, seemed likel

However, she was growing impatient, and that was about when she ran into-

“Seven!” Kai exclaimed when she saw the women, and out of a sudden sense of fearful respect added, “Of Nine. How are you?”

Seven stopped her brisk pace to wherever she was going, and the hand holding the pad she had been examining dropped to her side. “I am well. Kai, I believe we have met.”

Kai opened her mouth to speak, but it took several moments to find words she was sure would not embarrass her. “I-I was wondering if I could meet the… the borg children,” she managed. 

Seven raised an eyebrow. “They are no longer borg,” she explained curtly, “They have been liberated from the collective as I h-”

“I know that!” Kai interjected, inadvertently interrupting the woman, but continued, “It’s just, there’s only been two kids on this ship for years, and I think it would be fun if me and Naomi were to join them in… recreational activities.”

Seven seemed to be considering the request. 

“I can help you, too,” Kai continued, “I’m older than them, and I spend a lot of time with Naomi, too.”

Seven took only a moment this time to respond. “You are older than  _ most  _ of the children,” she corrected, “And you’re correct, your assistance may prove… valuable.”

Kai made to speak, but Seven continued. “Tomorrow at fourteen-hundred hours we will engage in various recreational activities in the mess hall. You may join us if you wish.”

Kai smiled and nodded fiercely. “And c-”

     “Naomi may accompany you,” Seven anticipated her question, and Kai nodded. 

“Thank you,” Kai bowed her head briefly, and Seven nodded before going wordlessly on her way to wherever she had been going to begin with.

 

The next day, Kai awoke at her normal time of o-seven hundred hours before reporting to the sickbay to assist the Doctor in his morning equipment  inventory. They talked idly while counting through medical tricorders and various vaccines until the Doctor casually brought up the matter of the Borg children, it seemed that per the lack of action for the ship these past few days, they were the talk of the town. 

“They’re not Borg,” Kai echoed Seven’s words from the day before, “They were liberated from the collective.”

            The Doctor nodded absentmindedly while he recalibrated one of the biobeds. “Oh I know,” he responded, “I removed the technological components of their bodies myself.”

             Kai had forgotten about that entirely. She perked up slightly and looked up from the hyposprays she was inspecting. “Are they all human now?” She asked, “Or, whatever species they were before.” 

            The Doctor shrugged. “They have more or less returned to how they were before they were assimilated, give or take a few implants that had to remain.”

“What species were th-  _ are  _ they?”

The Doctor looked up for a moment in thought. “Two of the boys are Wysanti, the other is Brunali; the girl is Norcadian.”

The Doctor had barely finished before Kai asked another question. “What are their names?”

“I don’t know,” the Doctor answered, returning to his work, “I do not even think Seven knew at the time.”

Kai frowned, but was content enough to know that there were three boys and one girl. Naomi would be happy if the Norcadian girl was her age, but Kai selfishly hoped that there could be another girl her age to talk to, even if she had been a drone only a few days ago. She was desperate. 

After helping to make and enjoying quite a bit of whatever Neelix had decided to serve for lunch (she had given up on trying to remember the names), Kai made her way to where she new the Wildmans’ quarters to be. As soon as her presence outside the door was known inside the quarters, the doors slid open. 

“Hi Mrs. Wildman,” Kai greeted the young woman, who must have currently been off duty as she had turned in her Starfleet uniform for more casual clothing, “Is Naomi here?”

“Naomi!” Mrs. Wildman called back into their quarters before turning back to Kai, “I’m guessing Seven said it would be alright if you went to play with those new Borg children?”

Kai resisted the urge to tell her that they weren’t Borg anymore and only nodded, and Mrs. Wildman smiled. “She’ll love having other children aboard to play with,” she explained before quickly adding, “Not that you’re not great company!”

Kai laughed. “I think she’ll like having them around too,” she explained, “I will, too.”

Naomi’s voice was heard from inside the quarters. “Just a second!” She called.

Mrs. Wildman sighed lightly and lowered her voice. “I know they’re not… borg, anymore,” she admitted, leaning towards Kai, “But be careful.”

Kai nodded. “Of course, and Seven will be there too, and probably Neelix.”

Mrs. Wildman nodded, and that was when Naomi appeared in the doorway beside her mother. “Let’s go!” She exclaimed, “Let’s go let’s go!”

Mrs. Wildman laughed and told Naomi to be back for dinner before she disappeared within her quarters as the doors closed. 

“Neelix told me,” Naomi began as they walked, speaking in a loud whisper, “That two of the boys are actually twins. That’s pretty cool, right?”

Kai nodded, and responded in the same whisper shout. “The Doctor told me that there’s four, and only one of them’s a girl.”

Naomi frowned slightly before perking up as another question crossed her mind. “How old do you think she is?”

Kai shrugged. “I have no idea,” she answered, “Probably younger than me, but older than you.”

Naomi looked at her. “We’re the same  _ age _ ,” she told Kai dubiously before smiling. 

Naomi loved more than anyone constantly bringing up the fact that although Kai was technically years older, she was even  _ more _ technically the same age as Naomi. Kai liked to think she was more mature, but that hypothesis was yet to be tested or proven. 

“Then maybe she’s _ both _ our ages!” Kai gasped, eyes wide, and Naomi rolled her eyes at the friendly sarcasm but smiled all the same. 

“Mess hall, right?” Naomi asked, changing the subject.

A few moments later they arrived, at roughly two minutes past o-four hundred hours. They were not surprised to find that Seven and the others were already there, extremely punctual. Naomi and Kai were immediately the center of attention as soon as the doors to the mess hall slid open noisily. It was… incredibly awkward, but only until Naomi spoke. 

“Hi!” She greeted them all cheerfully, entering the room and bringing Kai with them, “I’m Naomi, Naomi Wildman, and this is Kai!”

Kai smiled but said nothing, preferring to leave this kind of thing up to Naomi. The first of the new children to respond to Naomi’s greeting was the youngest and the only girl; she had a smooth ridge on her nose, the only difference between her and a human that Kai could see, and the only remnant of her history as a drone was a small neural implant on her temple. 

“I am Mezoti,” she nodded to them both before turning to the others she sat with at a large table in the center of the hall, “And this is Azan and Rebi.”

The twins, Azan and Rebi, although Kai was not sure which was which, both nodded in greeting to Naomi and herself. The boys both had multiple small implants decorating parts of their faces. They both had ridges going from the bridge of their nose to their hairline, not dissimilar to Naomi’s. 

“That is Icheb,” Mezoti continued, gesturing to the last one of the children sitting on the opposite side of the table. 

The boy was considerably older than the other children, probably by seven or eight years, but he nodded to both Naomi and Kai in the same curt way before returning his attention to the game they were playing, which Kai recognized immediately as Kadis-kot. It seemed that Naomi noticed this as well as she immediately became even more excited, if that were possible.

“Kadis-kot!” She exclaimed, rushing to take one of the two empty seats at the table, “I love Kadis-kot!!”

“Perhaps you could help the others learn the game,” Seven spoke, standing near the counter behind where the twins were seated. 

Kai took a seat at the table as well, between Naomi and Mezoti and across from Icheb and the twins. 

Naomi was more than happy to oblige, quickly launching into an explanation of the game with its rules and objectives. It reminded Kai of when Naomi had taught her the game, as it was one of Naomi’s favorites. Kai had attempted to teach the younger girl how to play Parrises squares, but after a brief demonstration for Mrs. Wildman using her fingers as players, the older Ensign decided it was far to dangerous for her daughter, given the occasional physical peril that was a natural part of the game. 

It had taken Kai hours to learn Kadis-kot, but the other children seemed to learn it within minutes, and they began a match between the six of them, Seven of Nine content to observe. It was not long before Naomi began asking questions. 

“How old are you, Mezoti?” She asked the other girl.

After having placed a colorful piece onto the vertical board, Mezoti looked at her but did not immediately answer, instead spending a moment in thought. Apparently, it was more complicated than Naomi expected. 

“I was assimilated when I was 4 years old, and only spent 18 days in the maturation chamber; however, I am now 8 years of age.”

Naomi’s face brightened, “You’re like the same age as me and Kai!”

Kai rolled her eyes and laughed quietly, but Mezoti as well as the other borg children looked thoroughly intrigued. 

Mezoti turned to Kai. “You are the same age as Naomi Wildman?”

“It must be a genetic or physiological difference,” offered Icheb, the first time he had spoken, “They are clearly different species.”

The other children glanced about between the miniature series of horns on Naomi’s forehead and the two rows of spots that began on Kai’s temple and proceeded down her neck. Kai and Naomi glanced at each other, and apparently it was Kai’s turn to explain. 

“Naomi and I are actually both half human, the same species as Seven,” she began, “I am half Betazoid.”

“And I’m part Ktarian!” Naomi interjected helpfully. 

Mezoti glanced at Icheb from across the table. 

“Species 295 and species-”

“What did we discuss about the use of Borg designations?” Seven warned suddenly, making her presence known once again.

“We both age at the same rate,” Kai finished.

The four other children continued to stare at her, obviously expecting further explanation, so she obliged. “Seven years ago, a little after Naomi and I were born, the radiation from a series of astral eddies… screwed up my growth rate, I guess.”

“Astral eddies?” Mizoti asked.

“An extremely powerful and potentially dangerous astral phenomena,” Icheb provided, “Perhaps the plasmatic energy discharged by the eddies accelerated your development.”

Seven looked mildly impressed, Mizoti nodded thoughtfully, the twins just stared, and Naomi’s jaw had dropped slightly. 

“The pl…” Kai began, “Yeah, that definitely sounds like something that could be true.”

“A logical hypothesis,” Seven nodded. 

“How old are you, Icheb?” Naomi asked him, and it seems that Icheb was not sure how to respond, either. 

He looked behind him at Seven, and she raised an eyebrow at him. “I do not know when you were born nor assimilated,” she told him, and Icheb looked back down at the table. 

“I spent far more time in the maturation chamber than the others,” he explained, “I was assimilated at six years of age, and spent seven months in a maturation chamber.”

Naomi smiled. “Kai’s older than you!” She explained jokingly, “She’s seven, and you’re six!”

Icheb turned to look at Kai, and Kai felt instantly uncomfortable under his scrutinizing gaze. 

“I am eighteen years old,” he eventually said, having now turned his attention to Naomi, “After a few more days in the maturation chamber I _would_ have become a fully matured drone.”

Seven took a single step forward towards Icheb. “And you would have been killed, by the pathogen,” she interjected sharply, “As all of the other adult drones were.”

“Pathogen?” Naomi asked innocently, but Seven immediately glared briefly at her in a way that conveyed a near physical sense of  _ drop the subject.  _

Meanwhile, Icheb glanced back at Kai. “Do you have the mental capacity of a seven year old as well?” He asked candidly. 

Seven glanced between him and Kai, but Kai nodded with a mild smile. “My brain has developed along with my body,” she explained, “And while I may only have the experience of a child, I assume that it’s true for you as well, yeah?”

It was silent then, save for Naomi clearing her throat once, though she did not speak. 

Icheb opened his mouth slightly, but closed it soon after, evidently having nothing to say. 

“I’ve learned to assist Neelix daily with the midday and evening meals,” Kai felt as though she was defending herself, though she could not identify the reason, and she had to admit she could have come up with something more convincing. 

“That is hardly a rigorous task,” Icheb only tilted his head slightly, his expression unchanged. 

Kai furrowed her eyebrows, in confusion more so than offence. No one on the crew had ever said something like that to her before. Nevertheless, she continued. 

“I’ve been assisting the Doctor in sickbay for several years now,” Kai explained curtly, glad to have come up with more sturdy ammo in her defense, “I’ve learned a lot about medicine and the treatment of injuries and diseases.”

“We have retained the medical knowledge of many species even after being seperated from the collective,” Icheb replied just as shortly, “Even Mizoti could perform your duties with ease.”

His blunt and detached tone was  _ maybe _ becoming a  _ bit  _ irritating. Kai wasn’t easy to irritate however, and decided to smile good-naturedly. 

“Are you trying to tell me something?” She asked jokingly. 

Icheb’s expression remained unchanged. “Your presence on this vessel seems… dispensable,” he said, seeming to take a moment before finding the right word. 

Kai raised her eyebrows. Wow. That stung a just little bit. 

“ _ Icheb _ !” Seven cut in sharply, “You will exercise punishment protoc-”

“It’s fine!” Kai interrupted, but looked down for a moment and began organizing her many game pieces into a neat and organized pile, “I was just about to be going anyway.”

“Unnecessary,” Seven spoke tersely again.

“The Doctor needs my help in sickbay today,” Kai explained, quietly standing and pushing her chair back in, “And it never hurts to be… an hour early.”

All eyes watched her as she left the mess hall but snapped back immediately to one another as the doors closed. Mezoti, Naomi, and the twins watched to see what Seven was going to do. 

Icheb had turned to look up at her, and the two exchanged dangerously pointed looks, glaring at one another for several long seconds before Icheb, surprisingly, was the first to speak. “I did not intend for my comments to be offensive,” he offered, but Seven looked unimpressed. 

“You displayed considerable rudeness,” she replied, “It is unacceptable to treat your peers in such a fashion.”

Icheb opened his mouth to speak, but took a moment to find the correct words. “I was not incorrect,” he noted. 

Seven raised an eyebrows, and dropped her hands to her sides. “Correctness is irrelevant,” she told him, “You are no longer Borg. Continuing to feign superiority as though you remain part of the collective is no longer acceptable.”

Icheb had nothing to say to that. 

“Uh, Seven?” A much younger voice piped up from across the table, and Seven and Icheb both turned to see Naomi, reluctantly raising her hand slightly. 

“Yes?” 

“He should just go an apologize,” she suggested kindly, “Even if he didn’t mean to hurt her feelings.”

Icheb again turned to Seven for a reaction, and she looked down at him with a raised eyebrow. This was evidently not the response Icheb was hoping for as he spun back around to look at Naomi. “Why?” He asked simply. 

Naomi shrugged. “It’s the nice thing to do.”

Seven was relatively sure that Icheb had never done something because it was the ‘nice thing to do’, but she had to admit that this method may be more productive than the punishment protocol she had in mind. 

Naomi looked up at her. “I can help,” she offered before addressing Icheb, “Have you ever apologized to anyone before?”

Icheb just looked at her, and behind him Seven shook her head. “I believe this may be a beneficial experience,” she announced, “Perhaps a kinesthetic educational activity for one-on-one peer interaction would be more prudent that a verbal lesson.”

“I do not agree,” Icheb mumbled, but with one look from Seven he eventually nodded.

Soon after, Kadis-kot continued and proceeded interrupted. 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Comment! Kudos! Thank you!


End file.
